Rosie is having a bad training day.  As in, I took her to the park to practice skills (we do this in public a lot - she is one highly distractable pup and needs to work on focusing on me) and she was just not into it.

Like, not look at me, didn't care about freeze dried liver treats, bad.

Oh that dog.

I found myself beginning to get frustrated, and the more frustrated I became, the less praise I gave her, even when she complied.  I was mad, right?  And these were super basic things we were working on.

Then I remembered something I told a mom yesterday:  when we practice new things, we have to find a place of compassion and grace - for others, and for ourselves.  

It's called practice for a reason.

So I brought pup home, and when I laid down on the couch for a few minutes before returning to paperwork (ugh), she jumped up, snuggled in and immediately went to sleep.  

She's not doing these things to me.  She's a dog.  So we'll try again tomorrow. 

This is a lot of work, training this dog.  She is one stubborn girl.  I just keep looking to that point in the future where she will be able to be present I session with me.  

(Fingers crossed.)

Here she is on a previous good training day, the little love.  We're getting more and more used to the training vest.  That's a process, too.


1 Comment

  1. Andrea on November 15, 2013 at 7:32 AM

    Oh, Rosie. It is a big learning process I'm sure!

     


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